e-vo for week of October 2

Dearest e-votees-

There is what we do as Christians.

And there is why we do what we do as Christians.

Our motivations are so very important--perhaps as important as whatever it is we accomplish.

Peace,
Karl

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5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 The Lord replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”

7 “Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here at once and take your place at the table’? 8 Would you not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink’? 9 Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? 10 So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, ‘We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!’”

Luke 17:5-10, NRSV

There are tasks and projects for us to be about. There are callings on our lives (vocations). There are opportunities to be grasped. There are lives to be touched. There is good newsing (evangelizing) to be done. There is loving (of God and of neighbor) to be brought to bear. If Francis of Assisi was right that we should preach the gospel using words if necessary then we should be about the business of preaching the gospel with actions and, when necessitated, using words.

How that looks in your life and in your setting is something for you and the Holy Spirit (and perhaps some trusted friends) to discern. God has things for you to be about as a Christian. Let us leave that as it is for now.

Why do you do the things you do as a Christian? Is it to merit favor with God? Is it to show the world what a good follower of God you are? Is it to show other believers what a good follower of God you are? Is it in order to garner recognition and appreciation? Is it a way to say "thank you" to God who has restored and saved you? Is it because God has made it clear to you some of the things you ought to be about with your time, your talent and your treasures?

We cannot earn or merit favor with God. What we get from God comes as pure gift. To attempt to earn what God freely gives diminishes the cost and the nature of the gift.

If we are concerned about what others think of us (inside or outside the church) we are chasing after things that are elusive and stained with sin (our efforts and their approval).

If we are working to earn thanks and recognition we have bought into the package the world sells about Who's Who? and trophies for every competitor and class rankings and brass plates with our names inscribed. Trophies and ribbons and rankings are fleeting and as subject to decay as our very bodies. My sermon text for this week is "The Gift of Thankless Service." If we put aside the need for thanks and recognition we are free to focus our attention more fully on the matters at hand. It has been said that it is amazing what we can accomplish when we don't worry about who gets the credit. This is at least as true in spiritual matters as it is in those of the world.

Our lives are an opportunity to say "thank you" to God. If this motivates us to live into the callings God has put on our lives so be it. If we do what we have been told we ought to do then we can respond as Jesus said "We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!" Our motivations that come from a sinful place need to die (along with old Adam or old Eve) so that we can serve in ways that truly say thank you and abide in God's expectations. That is some of what Luther meant as he talked about returning to our baptisms (our spiritual drowning and rebirth) daily.

If we know why we are responding to God's callings than living them out is so much more richly engaged.


God, bring your callings to bear and give us right motivations. Increase our faith and help us do that which we ought. Amen.